Hospital bed step



July 6, 1954 M. E. c. FAURE HOSPITAL BED STEP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 16, 1951 INVENTOR. Mad/72,5 6'. Fame ATTORNEY M. E. C. FAURE HOSPITAL BED STEP July 6, 1954 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 16, 1951' a I L- INVENTOR. Maw/he 15. G Fau/e ATTORN Patented July 6, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim. 1

The invention relates to bed steps for hospital beds, and has for its object to provide a device of this kind which is supported by one side of the bed and constructed in a manner whereby it may be collapsed inwardly beneath the bed rail, out of the way, or extended downwardly and outwardly to project beyond the outer side of the bed, and to form steps to be utilized by a patient in entering or leaving the bed.

A further object is to support the sides of the steps with parallel link connections, the upper ends of which links are pivotally movable on supporting brackets carried by the bed rail, and the lower end freely movable for controlling the steps pivotally carried by the links, and extending the steps outwardly for positions in parallel planes.

A further object is to provide a loose connection between the lower ends of one of the links and the sides of the lower step, and the lower step with floor engaging rollers, which rollers will engage the floor at a position under the bed and continue said engagement until the steps are extended, thereby providing means for preventing lowering of the steps on the foot of. the operator or patient.

A further object is to rigidly mount the upper ends of the inner links on a shaft to the inner side of the bed rail, and to provide crank and gear means for partially rotating said shaft for retracting or extending the steps.

With the above and other objects in view the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings, described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the steps, showing the steps applied to a hospital bed and extended.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the steps, showing the steps retracted to a position beneath the bed.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 1, showing in dotted lines the various positions assumed by the steps in movement from extended to retracted positions.

Figure 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the lower portion of the steps.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional View taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1, showing the operating mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l designates the side rail of a conventional form 2 of hospital bed, and 2 the foot section of said bed. The foldable steps are entirely supported by the side rail 1, and the steps operated, preferably, from the foot section 2 of the bed, however this is optional, as the positions of the operating mechanism would vary according to the side of the bed to which the device is attached.

Extending inwardly from the rail 1 are step supporting brackets 3, clamped to the rail I, between clamping jaws =3, and rotatably mounted within the other ends of the brackets 3 is an operating shaft 5, therefore it will be seen that the operating shaft 5 is spaced inwardly from the rail l. Clamped, at 6, to the rail l is a bracket 7 carrying a gear casing 8. Operating shaft 5 extends into the casing 8 and has a worm gear 9 thereon, rotated by a worm gear l9. Worm gear [9 is carried by an operating shaft ll rotatable in the lower portion l2 of the bracket 1, and is adapted to receive a hand crank I3. By providing a worm and worm gear drive it is obvious that the steps herein after set forth will be positively maintained in any position, even under weight, as the worm and worm gear will prevent any rotation of the operating shaft 5.

The collapsible steps comprise an upper step 14 and a lower step l5. Steps l4 and I5 are carried at opposite sides thereof by parallel links I6. Step I4 is pivoted at I! to the links [6, clearly shown in Figures 3 and 4. The rear portion of the lower step I5 is pivoted at l8 to the inner link It at opposite sides of the steps, however the step connection to the outer link [6 of the parallel links is through the medium of lugs I9 carried by the ends of the steps, and which lugs extend through vertically elongated oval shaped apertures 20 in the lower ends of the outer links It, the purpose of which will presently appear.

The outer end of the lower step I5 terminates in downwardly extending legs 2|, which legs are provided with floor engaging rollers 22, adapted to engage the floor and brace the device when extended to the dotted line position shown at the left of Figure 3.

When the device is moved from the collapsed position shown in Figure 2, and in dotted lines at the extreme right of Figure 3, the steps move downwardly, and the rollers 22 engage the door at a point immediately below the bed rail l, thereby preventing the lowering of the device onto the foot of a patient. Referring to the dotted line showing of this position, in Figure 3, the further rotation of the operating shaft 5, and the arcuate movement of the pivotal point I8 will force the steps outwardly, however the 3 lower step assumes an upwardly and outwardly inclined position, as shown in full lines in Figure 3, hence it will be seen that there is a pivotal movement of the lower step 15, hence it is necessary to form the apertures 20 oval shaped, distinguished from straight, to prevent binding, which would take place in a parallel movement. Further rotation of the shaft 5 completes the extension of the steps to the dotted line position shown at the left of Figure 1. It will be noted that during all of the movement the rollers 22 remain in rolling engagement with the floor from the time the rollers start from beneath the bed rail outwardly.

From the above it will be seen that collapsible bed steps are provided which may be easily and quickly attached to a bed without modifying the construction of the bed, and the steps are easily and quickly collapsed to a position beneath the bed, or extended to a rigid position beyond the side of the bed for use by a patient. It will also be seen that there is no danger of the device being let down on the feet of a person beside the bed, and that the gear operating prevents retrograde rotation of the operating shaft, no matter in what position, and this is accomplished by driving the worm gear 9 by the worm ill.

The invention having been set forth what is claimed as new and useful is:

The combination with the side rail of a hospital bed of collapsible bed steps therefor, said bed steps comprising brackets rigidly carried by the side rail and extending inwardly therefrom in a horizontal plane, an operating shaft rotatably carried by the brackets inwardly of and parallel with the side rail, means for rotating the operating shaft, a first pair of downwardly extending spaced apart parallel links rigidly mounted at their upper ends on the operating shaft and being curvilinearly swingable outwardly and inwardly of the side rail, a second pair of downwardly extending spaced apart parallel links pivotally carried by the brackets, the links of the second pair being outwardly of and in alignment with the links of the first pair, an upper step hingedly carried by the links of the first and second pairs and positioned horizontally therebetween, a lower step horizontally disposed between the links of the first and second pairs and pivotally attached to the first pair of links, a floating pin and slot connection between the second pair of links and the lower step, arms depending from the outer end of the lower step, and floor engaging rollers on said arms, said rollers through the slot and pin connection engaging the floor before the lower step passes outwardly of the side rail and continuing such engagement until the step moves inwardly of the side rail.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 887,529 Schnee May 12, 1908 1,063,643 Blake 1 June 3, 1913 1,146,031 Sommer July 13, 1915 1,180,215 Weiss Apr. 18, 1916 1,242,828 Lyle Oct. 9, 1917 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 266,284 Italy July 25, 1929 

